Brixton Academy to reopen after fatal crush
05/03/2024 Brixton Academy will open next month for the first time since two people died in a crowd crush in December 2022. |
LGA welcomes new police support for councillors
29/02/2024 The Local Government Association (LGA) has welcomed news that councillors will for the first time have a named police contact to help with security issues. |
Plymouth council leader applauds city’s ‘war-time spirit’
26/02/2024 The leader of Plymouth council has applauded the ‘war-time spirit’ of the city’s residents after a Second World War bomb was safely detonated at sea. |
2,700 dangerous animals kept as pets
23/02/2024 Lions, tigers and venomous snakes are among the 2,700 wild animals kept at private addresses across the UK, wildlife charity Born Free has revealed. |
Birmingham failed residents over damp and mould, ombudsman finds
22/02/2024 The Housing Ombudsman has found six cases of severe maladministration in Birmingham City Council’s handling of issues reported by tenants. |
Rowley: Councils must do more to improve high-rise safety
21/02/2024 Housing minister Lee Rowley has called on councils to do more to tackle building owners who fail to fix high-rise buildings in the wake of Grenfell tragedy. |
Lewes becomes first council to support ‘Zane’s Law’
21/02/2024 Lewes District Council has become the first local authority to support a proposed new law that calls for greater protection from contaminated land. |
Council appeared to be in ‘crisis management mode’
20/02/2024 ‘Multiple and repeated’ failures by Hammersmith and Fulham Council left residents feeling ‘anything but secure in their homes’, a special investigation has found. |
Barton House residents demand safety reassurances
15/02/2024 Residents of Barton House in Bristol have marched to City Hall demanding reassurances about the safety of the building ahead of their return. |
Call to recruit 19,000 neighbourhood officers
13/02/2024 A think-tank has urged the Government to launch a recruitment drive to boost police numbers and restore trust in neighbourhood policing. |
£3bn boost to affordable homes fund
12/02/2024 An additional £3bn is now available to build and improve affordable housing in England. |
Nearly 120 RAAC-affected school buildings to be rebuilt
09/02/2024 Nearly 120 school buildings containing dangerous concrete will be rebuilt or refurbished, the Government has confirmed. |
School leaders call for Ofsted exemption due to RAAC
07/02/2024 School leaders have called for all schools impacted by the dangerous concrete scandal to be exempt from Ofsted inspections until they are ‘fully operational’. |
Pupils leaving RAAC schools, heads warn
25/01/2024 Students are increasingly being taken out of schools that are affected by a crumbly form of concrete, headteachers have warned. |
‘Worst October in history’ for pothole breakdowns
27/11/2023 October this year was the worst on record for pothole-related breakdowns, according to the AA Pothole Index. |
MPs slam ‘beyond unacceptable’ condition of schools
20/11/2023 Thousands of children are learning in potentially unsafe buildings, with MPs ‘extremely concerned’ about the Department for Education’s understanding of the risks, a new report says. |
Council failure left ambulance unable to reach resident
15/11/2023 Stevenage Borough Council’s failure to fix a disabled resident’s door entry system left the ambulance service unable to attend to him, a watchdog has found. |
Tower block evacuated over structural concerns
15/11/2023 Tenants were evacuated from a tower block in Bristol yesterday after a survey found there is a risk to the building’s structure. |
Street calls for PCC powers
02/11/2023 West Midlands mayor Andy Street has formally asked the Government to transfer police and crime commissioner (PCC) powers to the mayoralty. |
Bury Market partially closes for RAAC safety checks
27/10/2023 Bury Market’s indoor stalls, which contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, have been closed for safety works. |
Historic courthouse collapses
09/10/2023 The Old Courthouse in Cockermouth, Cumbria has partially collapsed into a river. |
Sheffield landlord gets country's longest banning order
06/10/2023 A Sheffield man has been added to the Rogue Landlord Database and banned from letting or managing properties for 10 years. |
Unions call for £4bn investment in school estate
26/09/2023 In response to the RAAC crisis, trade unions have written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging him to invest £4.4bn per year to improve the school estate. |
Government urged to share RAAC school list
19/09/2023 Council leaders have urged the Government to share the list of schools who have yet to respond to surveys about reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). |
‘Urgent’ RAAC inspections of Oxford council-owned buildings
12/09/2023 Authority-owned buildings in Oxford may contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and will be inspected ‘as a matter of urgency’, the city council has said. |
London to expand 20mph limits
12/09/2023 Transport for London (TfL) has announced 65km of new 20mph speed limits to be introduced across eight London boroughs by the end of the year. |
Regulator writes to housing providers over RAAC
08/09/2023 The Regulator of Social Housing wrote to all social housing providers in England yesterday on the issue of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). |
Newcastle approves new taxi design to improve safety
08/09/2023 Plans to rebrand Newcastle’s black cabs to make them ‘instantly recognisable’ have been approved by the city council. |
RAAC: what housing associations need to know about the concrete crisis
07/09/2023 Jon Coane, social housing expert at Shakespeare Martineau, looks at how the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) scandal is affecting social housing. |
Ministers fear public building disruption after school closures
07/09/2023 Some ministers fear disruption and huge costs if public buildings with RAAC are held to the standards the Department for Education set by closing schools. |
Union issues safety warning as Glasgow ‘slashes’ number of CCTV staff
01/09/2023 Glasgow City Council has halved the number of staff it employs to monitor CCTV cameras in order to cut costs. |
More than 100 schools told to shut buildings over safety concerns
01/09/2023 Days before the start of term, the Government has told 104 English schools to close buildings known to contain a weak form of ‘concrete’. |
Three schools closed over safety concerns
24/08/2023 Three schools in England built by the same contractors have been advised not to reopen their buildings ahead of the new school year because of ‘structural irregularities’. |
Investment in home improvements could create £10bn boost
23/08/2023 The Government could create a £10bn annual economic boost by spending a ‘tiny fraction’ of housing funding recently returned to the Treasury on improving the nation’s homes, according to a new report. |
Dorset beachgoers have ‘lucky escape’
14/08/2023 Dorset Council has warned visitors to be careful when visiting West Bay after rocks and mud fell from the cliff narrowly missing beachgoers. |
Sports clubs should pay £1m safety bill
11/08/2023 Charging regulations that force councils to pay £1m a year for sports clubs to have safety certification are outdated, says the Local Government Association. |
Local mayor plans Bibby Stockholm legal challenge
09/08/2023 The Mayor of Portland is planning on launching a legal challenge against the Home Office over the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge to house asylum seekers. |
‘Real fears’ that post-Grenfell safety legislation won’t be delivered
31/07/2023 Auditor General for Wales has raised concerns over the devolved government’s implementation of building safety legislation that was created after Grenfell. |
Deprivation of Liberty laws are not fit for purpose
26/07/2023 Baljinder Bath, barrister at 4PB, argues that Deprivation of Liberty laws are not fit for purpose in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children. |
LGA: police mental health withdrawal too quick
26/07/2023 Council chiefs have raised concerns that plans for police to stop attending mental health incidents are ‘being rolled out too quickly’. |
Leeds council homes to be tested for Radon gas risk
25/07/2023 More than 9,100 council-owned homes in Leeds are being tested for a radioactive gas after a risk of excessive Radon was identified. |
Government urged to set date for e-scooter legislation
24/07/2023 More than 50 organisations, including six local authorities, have signed a letter calling on the Government to legalise e-scooters. |
‘Landmark’ social housing Act becomes law
21/07/2023 The Government’s new Social Housing (Regulation) Act, which includes greater powers to tackle failing social landlords, has become law. |
Council orders removal of insulation made by Grenfell firm
14/07/2023 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has ordered the removal of insulation made by a firm that was implicated in the Grenfell tragedy. |
Plymouth fined £200,000 over workers’ hand conditions
10/07/2023 Plymouth City Council (PCC) has been fined £200,000 after its failures to comply with legislation led to employees developing hand and wrist conditions. |
Council chiefs call for funding pot to fix schools
28/06/2023 Council chiefs have called for a single funding pot to pay for upkeep of school buildings after auditors warned 700,000 pupils are in dilapidated schools. |
Car park design in the 21st century
16/06/2023 Chris Whapples, Institution of Structural Engineers, looks at what local authorities need to consider when thinking about parking standards. |
Newcastle taxis to adopt city’s football colours
14/06/2023 Taxis in Newcastle could be branded in the colours of the city's football team in a bid to improve safety. |
Enfield trading standards cuts risk public safety
08/06/2023 Enfield Council is at risk of becoming the first local authority without a Trading Standards team after a decision to let go of three quarters of the team. |
Council suspends Bournemouth boat trips after deaths
07/06/2023 Boat operations from Bournemouth Pier have been suspended as a precaution following the deaths of two children. |
Car parks at risk from EV increase
05/06/2023 An increase in the use of heavy electric vehicles poses a risk to car parks, structural engineers have warned. |
Housing experts voice ‘concern’ over HMO licensing changes
25/05/2023 Housing and refugee rights experts have voiced ‘extreme concern’ over plans to remove licensing requirements for HMOs used as asylum accommodation. |
Union calls for information on state of school buildings
23/05/2023 Local government union Unison has backed a Labour demand that information on the state of school buildings must be published. |
20mph speed limits more effective with speed bumps
22/05/2023 Drivers are more likely to comply with a 20mph speed limit if there are also physical traffic calming measures in place, report finds. |
Petition to save venue after crush deaths hits 50,000
02/05/2023 A petition calling on Lambeth Council to save the O2 Academy Brixton after two people were crushed to death last year has reached over 50,000 signatures. |
Pothole-related breakdowns up nearly 40%
28/04/2023 RAC patrols helped more than 10,000 drivers who had suffered a pothole-related accident in the first three months of the year, new figures reveal. |
Dudley in health and safety breach
27/04/2023 Dudley MBC has been found to have breached health and safety rules by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). |
Taxi drivers to face ‘tough’ new licensing measures
27/04/2023 New rules will mean taxi and private hire drivers who lose their council licence won't be able to apply in another area without their history being disclosed. |
Three cladding firms warned of 'consequences’ for safety failures
21/04/2023 Michael Gove has warned the shareholders of three cladding firms of ‘severe consequences’ if they fail to put forward plans to help fix unsafe buildings. |
Traffic collisions more likely to affect poorer neighbourhoods
18/04/2023 People living in London’s more deprived areas are twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured in road collisions, new research reveals. |
Council launches scheme to fight sexual harassment
11/04/2023 Westminster Council has launched a scheme to help protect women from sexual harassment in the West End. |
Counter-terrorism measures restrict blue badge parking, campaigners say
11/04/2023 A policy of restricting access to York city centre for motorists with blue badges has been slammed as ‘disproportionate’ and a human rights breach. |
Councils share £50m for road safety schemes
06/04/2023 Ministers have announced 27 local schemes that will share £47.5m road safety cash - a cutback on the 45 schemes floated in last autumn's mini budget. |
Council welcomes £3.5m Morrisons fine after employee death
20/03/2023 Morrisons has been fined £3.5m following successful prosecution by Tewkesbury BC after the death of an epileptic employee in one of the supermarket’s stores. |
Mayor told to take urgent action against rogue landlords
20/03/2023 Urgent action is needed to tackle rogue landlords who are targeting vulnerable Londoners and placing them in dangerous housing, committee warns. |
Number of ‘substandard’ bridges falls to 3,090
17/03/2023 The proportion of council-managed road bridges classified as ‘substandard’ has fallen slightly over the past year despite local authority budget limitations. |
Council raises safety fears after Clarkson Farm row
15/03/2023 Oxfordshire council has imposed ‘safety precautions’ after death threats were made to councillors who oppose extension of a car park at Jeremy Clarkson’s farm. |
Gove delivers ultimatum to 11 housebuilders
15/03/2023 Housing secretary Michael Gove has named 11 firms who have failed to sign a contract to repair homes with safety risks exposed by the Grenfell Tower fire. |
Local authority building control body welcomes £16.5m grant
09/03/2023 The representative body for council building control in England and Wales will receive a £16.5m grant to support the delivery of new building safety standards. |
Councils urged to consult taxi driver database
03/03/2023 The DfT wrote to local authorities urging them to consult the taxi driver database after figures revealed the councils who are failing to make full use of it. |
Planning for safer Coronation celebrations
27/02/2023 Iain Moran, MD of Crowdguard, discusses the importance of considering safety when planning local events and street parties for the Coronation Weekend. |
20mph speed limit set to be roll out in five London boroughs
14/02/2023 Transport for London is set to introduce a new 20mph speed limit across five London boroughs after monitoring reveals reduced speeds lead to fewer collisions. |
Homelessness charity welcomes ‘Awaab’s Law’
10/02/2023 Homelessness charity Shelter has welcomed the Government’s announcement that landlords will be forced to deal with damp and mould in tenants’ homes. |
Council officer praised after crossbow-wielding man arrested
02/02/2023 A Barking and Dagenham Council community ranger has been praised after their actions led to the arrest of a man armed with a crossbow. |
Developers ordered to sign building repairs contract
30/01/2023 Housing developers have been ordered to sign legally binding contracts that they will pay to repair unsafe buildings. |
Somerset councils declare ‘major incident’ in response to floods
18/01/2023 Local authorities across Somerset have joined the Environment Agency (EA) in declaring a major incident because of flood risk in the county. |
Council extends venue’s licence suspension after crush deaths
17/01/2023 Lambeth Council yesterday suspended the O2 Academy Brixton’s premises licence for a further three months following last month’s tragic crush. |
Local enforcement teams to get £8m boost
13/12/2022 Council enforcement teams are set to receive a multi-million-pound boost to help them pursue freeholders who have yet to start cladding repairs. |
Council accused of undermining safety of sex workers
12/12/2022 Newham Council has been accused of undermining the safety of sex workers after the local authority set out proposals for a clampdown on ‘kerb crawlers’. |
Domus Ventilation’s Solis Air Brick wins London Construction Awards
05/12/2022 Domus Ventilation is thrilled to announce its Solis Air Brick™ has won the Product Innovation of the Year award at the London Construction Awards. |
Social housing tenants group launched
28/11/2022 Over 250 tenants met on Saturday to launch a group aimed at directly influencing the Government’s plans on improving social housing conditions. |
How intelligent AI technology can transform road safety and reduce near misses
10/11/2022 Mark Nicholson explains how computer vision can better equip our roads to spot and reduce near misses, casualties and transform road safety. |
Call for regulation to combat dangerous and illegal e-scooter use
25/10/2022 With Kent ending their e-scooter trial early due to safety concerns, Jonathan White calls for new regulations to be introduced for rental schemes and private vehicles. |
Council launches traffic safety scheme in UK first
21/10/2022 Wandsworth council has launched a pilot scheme that will see drivers fined by the local authority if they speed in a 20mph zone. |
FORS – delivering peace-of-mind
11/10/2022 FORS is under new management. Despite the change, however, the mandate remains the same; to drive-up standards within the road transport industry. |
FORS – delivering peace-of-mind
03/10/2022 The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme is changing, but its mandate is the same: to drive-up standards within the road transport industry by focusing on safety. |
Digital switch – are you ready?
05/09/2022 How lift owners can prepare for the ‘digital switch’ to fibre lines over the next three years. |
Council fails to carry out thousands of housing safety assessments
31/08/2022 Greenwich council committed itself to improving the safety of its social housing after it failed to carry out safety assessments across thousands of homes. |
Council launches investigation into child's water park death
16/08/2022 The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has launched a health and safety investigation into a local water park after the death of an 11-year-old girl. |
Council seizes ‘dangerous’ dockless bicycles
11/08/2022 Westminster City Council has begun seizing dockless bicycles that have been left on roads and pavements across central London. |
How can you keep your site safer from hostile or errant vehicles?
05/08/2022 Deborah Ainscough discusses the importance of risk assessment and specification in protecting people and assets from hostile and errant vehicles. |
Updates to the regulations on lifts
02/08/2022 Nick Mellor, MD of LEIA (Lift & Escalator Industry Association) and LIFTEX 2022, has outlined the most recent updates to the regulations on lifts. |
Protection is a two-way street
25/07/2022 Russ Langthorne outlines how the workforce can be protected from the debilitating effects of HAVS and WBV through real-time, accurate and objective monitoring and measurement. |
Councils bring forward bin collections to protect staff during heatwave
18/07/2022 Councils across the country will be collecting bins, garden waste and recycling an hour earlier over the next two days to limit staff exposure to high temperatures. |
Leaseholder protections ‘insufficient’, council chiefs warn
28/06/2022 Council leaders welcome measures protecting leaseholders from being landed with unfair bills to make their homes safe but warn protections are ‘insufficient’ . |
City council approves selective licensing scheme
25/05/2022 Nottingham council has approved a new selective licensing scheme for private landlords in order to help safeguard and improve housing standards for tenants. |
Landlords call for ‘property passports’
24/05/2022 The association representing landlords has called for new property passports to help landlords prove their homes are compliant. |
Shapps confirms e-scooter legalisation in Queen’s Speech
28/04/2022 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed he will make an announcement about the legalisation surrounding e-scooters in next month’s Queen’s Speech. |
Campaigners call for e-scooter regulation to improve safety
26/04/2022 Campaigners have joined forces and written an open letter to call for e-scooters to be legalised across the UK in order to dramatically improve safety. |
MPs call for deadline for asbestos removal
21/04/2022 Asbestos should be removed from all public and commercial buildings within 40 years, MPs have argued today. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.